Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of March 23, 2023. The Board granted TDIU for this period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus, migraines, hepatitis A, right upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are all granted as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to November 14, 2019.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for the residuals of a tonsillectomy and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss should be remanded to allow for proper procedural steps.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding treatment records and a VA medical opinion regarding his need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are currently rated at the maximum allowed under VA regulations, with no further schedular increases possible.,Hypertension is also currently rated at the maximum allowed under VA regulations.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development, including obtaining a basic eligibility determination from the Veterans Health Administration regarding the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a dental disability for treatment purposes. The issues of right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are also being remanded due to their potential impact on the dental disability claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a headache disability have been reopened, and the Board has granted these claims. The claim for an effective date prior to October 11, 2018 for lumbosacral strain with IVDS is also granted.,Service connection for tinnitus is established based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for tinnitus was withdrawn during his hearing. The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and denied service connection for right knee, left knee, kidney cancer residuals, varicose veins, neck disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to noise exposure in service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's tinnitus. The VA needs to obtain an addendum from a qualified medical professional to provide opinions on whether the tinnitus is related to active service, or if it is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected disabilities (TBI and left hearing loss).

The Board has remanded the claims due to new evidence being added since the last decision, and the appellant is proceeding pro se.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to May 28, 2015.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection of tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, as well as a higher rating for PTSD. The Veteran's malaria was found to not warrant a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left shoulder disability, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of audiometric testing results in post-service treatment records. The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for hepatitis C, cirrhosis of the liver, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been withdrawn by his representative before the Board could make a decision.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period from December 1, 2018, to June 30, 2022, is being remanded due to new evidence submitted in August 2020. The case will be referred to VA's Director of Compensation Services for consideration of an extraschedular TDIU rating under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance as to whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.